Bluesky and X Just Launched TikTok-Style Video Feeds
So, that was a big weekend, but TikTok is back, right? Well, not so fast. The law banning the popular short form video app from app stores has still gone into effect, new users still can’t download it, and Trump’s executive order postponing enforcement of the ban only gives Bytedance 75 days to come up with a solution. On that note, both X and Bluesky have thrown their hats into the ring as potential TikTok replacements.
Technically, both sites already supported video, and X even already had the ability to swipe from one video to the next. What’s new, aside from Bluesky also gaining swipeable videos, is the new video feeds.
Bluesky's new video feed
Bluesky has gained the most features, so let’s start there. Previously, videos on Bluesky used to work much like they did on the Twitter of old, where they could be attached to posts, but didn’t have a browsing interface of their own. Now, users can create their own video feeds, which will be populated by swipeable videos related to that feed’s particular subject.
It works much like text post feeds, where you can pin a particular timeline to your main Bluesky page, either generated by the site itself or by users, and that timeline will be populated by relevant posts. But where text feeds, like the default “Discover” and “Following” timelines, will show a more traditional scrolling webpage format, video feeds display more like…well, TikTok. Simply pick a video to start with from a list of recent options, then swipe to browse like you’ve probably gotten used to on the other app.
To start, you can access a trending videos feed right from the search bar (which you can disable entirely under Settings > Content & Media, if you’re not into short form videos), but users have already been hard at work creating pin-worthy curated feeds like #BookSky Vids that are specific to certain topics.
This should give Bluesky a unique approach compared to TikTok, where what users see is by-and-large at the mercy of the algorithm (excepting the “Following” and “Friends” tabs). Instead, these custom feeds will only show videos from specific accounts, handpicked by the creators of said feeds.
X's new video tab
For a while now, X’s videos have already worked much like TikTok’s, but now they’re much more prominent. Now, at the bottom of X’s mobile app, there’s a small circular play button that immediately starts playing a TikTok-like “personalized feed of recommended videos.” You can like, repost, comment on, and share these videos, but for now, there’s no way to access a feed that only shows videos from creators you follow, and little indication as to how X’s algorithm works. It truly is Elon roulette over there, but for what it’s worth, the feed does seem to take some inspiration from the rest of your X activity. Mine started with innocuous pet videos before quickly veering into absurd Godzilla and Vtuber content, which I don’t think most people would like as much as me.
Still, the feed definitely has room to grow. For instance, the only way to access your watch history is to download an archive of your X data.
Are Bluesky and X ready to take on TikTok?
With TikTok back up for now, assuming you already had it downloaded, it’ll probably be a while before either replacement gets a chance to pose a serious threat to it, especially with Instagram still trying to make Reels happen. But both are clearly still in an early stage regardless, so perhaps they could do with the time to bake. For instance, neither works quite right on desktop at the moment, with Bluesky just showing your video feeds like a traditional timeline of text posts with videos attached, while X isn’t showing its new video tab on desktop at all. However, Bluesky might have an edge here, as indie developers are already at work making their own TikTok alternatives using the AT Protocol technology that powers Bluesky.